Digital Citizenship Tip of the Week – 3/31/2016

According to our Common Sense Census: Tweens and Teens Media Usage, only 3 % of kids are creating content which means that 97% are consuming! So, how do we reverse this statistic? One way is by encouraging and understanding the games kids are playing. If your kids are playing Minecraft, they are eventually going to discover Roblox. These two sandbox-style games have a lot in common. Both let you design games, meet other players, and, of course, play for hours. They also each have supportive online communities that are always available for help. But Minecraft and Roblox are actually quite different when you get into the nitty-gritty. Both games can teach the rudiments of computer coding (Minecraft uses a Minecraft-adapted Java, and Roblox uses the Lua programming language), though Minecraft has the edge when it comes to being education-friendly. They also both promote math skills, thinking and reasoning, problem-solving, and collaboration. Both games are cropping up in after-school classes, computer camps, and even teachers’ lesson plans because the abilities you can gain by creating digital content and interacting with others online are essential 21st-century skills. But, it’s important for parents to understand the differences in these two games and as always, we make it easy. Readhow both games stack up on five key elements and consider sitting down with your kid while he or she learns to play.